Roleplay, known as "RP" for short, is immersing yourself in a character and acting out a story through them. It can be as casual as taking on the mannerisms of a character archetype, or as involved as having a complex backstory or using a documented rules system. In Furcadia, you will find groups that cater to all styles of RP. You will also find a very wide variety of settings and genres-- from medieval fantasy to futuristic technology, and from feral animals to byzantine civilizations. Furcadia's literate populace and malleable environment has created a haven for Roleplaying on the Internet.

How do you RP?

If you ask 20 Furcadians this question, you will get 20 different answers. The goal is to find a group that Roleplays in a manner that you would enjoy. That said, at its base RP is simply pretending that you are a character and typing your actions and dialogue in the manner of that character. Some groups, such as Feral RPers, restrict themselves to actions and do not even "speak" . Some groups require that your posts exceed a minimum line count of descriptive text and dialog. In some areas you must read the dream rules and make a character to fit their world; sometimes this character must be approved by a game master or guild leader. In other areas you can just wander in and casually join the ongoing setting. Most groups fall somewhere in between. More information about roleplay can be found: Here.

What is Persona Play?

If you haven't specifically agreed to any kind of limit to your character's power or background, you are engaging in Persona Roleplay. This is Furcadia's default form of Roleplay and the most widely used. You are just playing yourself casually in response to a social situation, without the need to create a complex character. It's not that there are no rules in Persona Play(PP); it's that that they are more flexible and don't need to be constantly referenced. The primary rule in PP is the Consent Rule (see below.) The overall flavor of Persona Play is akin to group storytelling.

What is the Consent Rule?

The Consent Rule states that if someone poses or says something which affects your character that you do not like, you can choose to ignore that action. In other words, they cannot control you or your character without your consent.

What is Strict RP?

In Strict Roleplay there is a strong accent on playing in a well defined world or continuity. There are usually clearly posted rules, back story, and expected behavior which you must follow to participate. What these exact rules are varies widely from group to group. RP Groups may place emphasis on storytelling, conflict, and/or character development and then tailor their rules to meet these world views. Strict RP needs to take place in a private Roleplay Dream or an IC Only area. It is generally not allowed to chat OOC (Out of Character) in these areas. These serious forms of Roleplay follow preset continuity and rules.

What is a "Powergamer" or "Godmoder?"

In Persona Play a Powergamer or Godmoder is someone who tries to impose their will on others. In Strict Roleplay a Powergamer is a person who intentionally or unfairly exceeds the agreed-upon rules.

How do you roll dice?

Furcadia provides you with a method for determining random outcomes using Dice rolls. Dice rolling may be important in Strict RP, for fun, or as an impartial decider in games. Just type ROLL (number of dice)d(number of sides on the die). You can include a statement of intent after typing the command line to make it clear what you're rolling for. For example: "ROLL 2d6+4 to see how much damage she does to the minotaur" results in: "Furre rolls 2d6+4 to see how much damage she does to the minotaur.: (3) (6) = 13." Read more about Furcadia's Dice rolling Here.

Is there an official back story?

The Dragonlands is the official canon of Furcadia written by Talzhemir. This back story permeates the culture of Furcadia and is widely used in place names, festivals, character development, general mythos, and Roleplay. It is a rich, in-depth continuity that you can use to help develop your characters or adapt to your RP or Dream. You are not required to follow The Dragonlands continuity, but you can read all about it here.

What are The Primes?

The Dragon and The Primes are the pantheon of The Dragonlands. You will see the Primes referred to all over Furcadia in everything from Beekin the Help Dragon, to M'rill, to Junjinka's Spring Festival. The Primes are very occasionally Roleplayed by staff members. You can read all about the Primes here.

Can I fight monsters?

You can Roleplay fighting monsters in many continuities. Some Dreams even have RPG like systems where you can fight battles with automated NPCs. However, there is no combat on Main Maps and you will not be accosted by random encounters while exploring the world.

How do I level up?

Similar to fighting monsters, many Dreams and continuities have RP systems with stats and leveling. However, there is no game-wide leveling system on Furcadia. Furcadia is about the worlds that players create and inhabit. There are free tools that you can use on your PC or Mac to build your own leveling system or implement your favorite RP game.

Where's a good place to RP?

For Persona Play mixed with Socializing, try Allegria Island and Meovanni. The Wylde has both Persona Play Dreams and Strict RP Dreams with Ferian (feral furre) themes. Imaginarium is the main upload map for most Roleplay Dreams and it has several cannon IC Main Maps in which to RP. Imaginarium itself is an Out of Character staging ground for Roleplay.

What if I don't like how someone RPs?

You can use the Consent Rule to ignore their behavior if you are in a Persona Play situation and they are directly affecting your character. If you are in a Strict RP Dream you can leave the area or talk to the Dream Owner. If they bother you to the point of harassment, you can contact a Guardian volunteer for advice. Please keep in mind though that neither Guardians nor any official staff moderate Roleplay.

What do IC and OOC mean?

IC stands for In Character, which is similar to being "on duty" in a Roleplay. You are expected to only say and do what your character would say and do while you are In Character. OOC stands for Out Of Character. In this case you are yourself-- you aren't pretending to be your character. In most IC Dreams, OOC talk is kept to Whispers, [brackets], or confined to marked areas. Make sure you read the rules of the Dream you are in to find out the appropriate OOC behavior.

Does everyone Roleplay?

Most certainly not! Many Furcadians never RP and prefer to socialize, play games or create Dreams or art. However, thousands of players Roleplay every day, and it's a fantastic way to experience an adventure of your own!

You might be a Roleplayer if:

...it's ever taken you an entire evening to walk across a bar!

...you ever wondered if Boba Fett could beat up Batman!

...you own dice with more than six sides!

...you've ever used more than three adjectives describing your tail!

...you are at home in a wizard hat or a space ship!

...you are romancing five different people as five different characters and none of them mind!

...you've ever crossed a bridge just to talk to the troll underneath!

...you know more than you ever cared to about dragon hygiene!

...you know a Claymore from a great sword and think either would do well against a Magnum!

...you need a witch's help to cure your Uncle, who's been turned into a Wolven for stealing a magic potion from the castle!